Conveyer for pasteurizers



June 3, 1941. G. L N. MEYER CONVEYER FOR PASTEURIZERS Filed June 24, 1937 7 Sheets-Sheet l 'Il' Y 'l'. III" l' Gear' 5% 7M June 3, 1941. G, L N MEYER 2,243,879

l coNvEYER Fon PAsTEURIzERs Filed June 24. 1937 '7 sheets-sheet 2 o eye lf2/'Me er;

. v i j, I tif-1% 15x92@ June 3, 1941. G. l. N. MEYER 2,243,879

coNvEYER FOR PAsTBURIzERs Filed June 24, 1957 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 "HIHIIIIllllll!Illllllllllillll www i June 3, 1941. s. L. N. MEYER CONVEYER FOR PASTEURIZERS Filed June 24, 1957 7 Sheets-SheetA finura A .1@ a ff/W W/ June 3, 1941. GQ L N. MEYER coNvEYER FOR PAsTEURIzERs :wf/asy- Jui'le 3, 1941. G, L N, MEYER 2,243,879

CONVEYER FOR PASTEURIZERS Filed June 24, 1937 '7 sheets-sheet s 'um 'ull 'im 40 I I'. )57

38 9 L mi VJune 3,1 1941. aL N. `MEYER CONVEYER FOR PASTEURIZERS Filed June 24, 1937 v'sneets-sheet 7 l "//lflllll l pasteurlzer conveyer;

Patented June 3,

einen UNiTEp STATES PATENT ortica conversa ron Pasmnmznas George L. N. Meyer, Milwaukee, Wis., assigner to George J. Meyer Manufacturing Company, Cudahy, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application June ze, 1931, serial No. 150,061

`a claim.V (ci. 19e-131) v 'I'his invention relates'to pasteurizers or food cookers, and more particularly to a pasteurizer or food cooker adapted to automatically load and unload. i

One object of the invention is to produce a machine which will automatically load or unload a plurality of containers simultaneously.

Another object is to provide a trough conveyer'l which will positively retain the containers in the conveyer except at the intake and discharge positions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pasteurizer having trough conveyer. units,

which will require less labor for supervision than' pasteurizers now in use.

A further object is to produce a pasteurizer or cooker which will 4be more emcient than those now in use. n

'Another object of the inventionr is .to produce an improved conveyer which will permitvthe removal or insertionoi containers only at'predetermined points.

rig. 2 is a. view on the une 2 2' of Fig. 1 loer.`

ingln the direction of the arrows and shows the loading and unloading of the containers;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3.-'-3 ofFlg. 2 looking in the direction oi the arrows, showing the star wheel in plan;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows,

and shows the conveyer 'troughs receiving anddischargins containers;

F18. 5 is a cross-section on the line 5-3 oi!V Fig. 2 showing the 'operating mechanism for the Fig'. 9 is a detail transverse cross-section of the conveyer troughs; and

Fig. 10 is across-section on the line Ill-lll of Fig. 9 showing the connection of the conveyer troughs to' the conveyer chain. Y

In the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views and referring particularly to Fig. l, the machine comprises, a head which may support a motor 2i to drive the conveyersito be described below) and a neck 23 which may pass through the iloor A of the building and connect the head 20 with the body 23 of the pasteurizer or cooker. The body 23 of the pasteurizer carries a conveyergenerally designated 2t, to be ldescribed in detail below, which is adapted. to receive a single row of cylindrical containers reclining on their sides with their axes alined'. The conveyer all is so designed as to positively retain the container within the conveyer except at the points of loading and discharging. The interior of the body 23 of the pasteurizer is maintained at a constant temperature by steam` or hot water pipes 25 whichv may be thermostatically controlled to maintain an even temperature.

To cook foods in this machine, a partition 2S may be inserted across the body 23,'dividing the body 23 into two sections. As seen in Fig. 1, the right hand section 4would then contain a water seal, while the left hand section would conn tain live steam.

The conveyer 26 is driven from the motor 2l through chains 2l and 2B which receive their power from the motor 2|, as described below, and transmit it to the conveyer through sprocket wheels 23 and 30. The chain 21 is maintained at the proper tension by a take-up mechanism which includes an-idling sprocket 3| mounted on a lever 32. 'I'he lever 32 is pivoted to the outstar wheel. the belt conveyers and kick-in mechanim:

Pig. 6 is a cross-section on the line S---B ci Fis. 1 showingthe operating mechanism' for the 7 is a. detail ofthe can kiek-1n. mechav 8 is a cross-section on the line 83 of Pis. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, and

ows the operation of the star wheel;

side of the body 23, as shown at 33, and is actuated by .a tension rod and nut 34 acting against a bracket 35'vflxed on the body 23.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6, it will be seen that themotor 2| drives a belt 31 which drives wheels 45, it, which carry the supporting chains of the Apasteurizer conveyer 2l.

A sprocket wheel I8 Vis keyed on the countershan 4|. ,The sprocket wheel u r11-iva;` the chain 28. The chain' 23 drives a sprocket wheel.

or troughs Bl ilxed to a carrier chain 84.

41 which drives the chain 21 throughV a sprocket 48.

The containers are loaded onto the conveyer 2t by a load and unload mechanism, generally designated 50, in Fig. 1, and shown more iullyin Figs. 2, 3, and 8.

As best shown in Figs, 2, 3 and 5, the containers 5I, which are shown as cans, but which may also be bottles or packages. are loaded onto a belt or plate conveyer 52 which is driven by a pair oi' bevel gears 53-56, (Fig. 5). The conveyer 52 transmits the cans to a star wheel 55. The star whee' is driven by the motor 2|,

lthrough the shaft t8, the sprocket 5l, the chain 58, the sprocket 59, the shaft 60 and the bevel gears iii, 52,' all o which form a transmission chain which turns a shaft 63 on which the star wheel 5,5 is mounted.-

The starwheel 55 which has a blank portion 64, delivers the cans in spaced series to a sloping apron 65 (Fig. 2), theapron causing the cans to tip and fall onto their sides. The tendency to tip is augmented by the push of the star Wheel 55.

The cans are tipped on passing over the apron 65 and fall onto a belt conveyer 66, which is driven by the motor through a transmission chain comprising, the shaft 38, the sprocket di, the chain 5t, the sprocket 59, the shaft St, and, as seen in Fig. 5, through a sprocket 81 to a chain 6B, to a sprocket 69, to a. shaft lil, through a pair of bevel gears i i 12 to a shaft 13. The shaft 13 carries a roller it willich drives the endless belt 66 which forms the conveyer above nientioned. Y

Proper tension may be maintained on the conveyer belt by a oating roller weight 15, as shown in Fig. 2.

When the predetermined number of cans required to illl one of the conveyer troughs 2d have passed through the star wheel (as determined by the number of pockets in the circumference of the wheel) there is a spacing of the series due to the blank portion 64 of the wheel 5E during which time the leading can of the series abuts a stop 18 (Fig. 3) and the remainder of the cans continue moving forward until the cans abut end to end.

When the cans are in close contact a cam 11 moves its cam follower inwardly toward the center ci the cam, as most clearly shown in Fig. 7. The cam follower is mounted on a bell crank lever 18 so that movement inward of the inner end of the lever causes 'a corresponding movement of the opposite or operated end of the lever at right angles to the movement of the inner end, since the central portion of the lever 1I is pivoted on a standard 19.

The operated end of the lever 18 is connected to a frame 80, with a yieldable connection 82 CFI have end pieces 85 fitting in and xed to the ends ofthe'troughs. The end pieces 85 fasten onto the chain 84 in such a manner that the open side of the trough faces the closed side of the trough ahead. Thus as long as the chain is substantially straight the can cannot move out of the trough due ,to the trough ahead. This is also true when the conveyer goes around a long radius curve, such as the wheels 65, 81, 38, 89, etc.

When the conveyer goes around a short radius curve, such as the wheel til, the links of the chain 8d bend vand tip the open side of the trough out, at which time containers may be inserted or removed from the trough.

As shown in Fig. 9 the troughs are slightly inclined from the normal. The variation of the inclination from the normal determines the maximum radius of the curve which will permit the containers to be inserted or removed.

The load and unload positions of the pasteur-= izer conveyer are shown in Fig. In that gure, as the kick-in bar 8i moves to the left, it

rolls the container od the conveyer ii@ and into fan open trough 83.

After loading, the container moves with the pasteurizer conveyer 2d horizontally to the left, as seen in Figs. 1 and 4 and around a wheel 9i. The wheel 3| may either have a guard Q2 around the outside, as shown, or may itself he of such a radius as to prevent the containers from falling out. The containers then pass down and through the body'cf the machine, Where the contents are either pasteurized or cooked and return vertically and over the sprocket wheels 45, 45, and between the wheel @t and a discharge chute 93.

As the troughs passv under the wheel t@ they open and permit the containers to roll out, due to the small radius ci the Wheel t, down the discharge chute 93 and onto a discharge conveyer 94. As best shown in Fig. 5, the discharge conveyer 94 is driven by the motor 2i through a pair of bevelgears 95, 8B.

Having thus described the invention, it will be seen that it issusceptihle to various changes and mpdincations, and it is not therefore desired to limit the invention to the precise form herein shown and described, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to secure by letters Patent is:

l. In a conveyer of the character described, a carrier chain, a ilrst carrier adapted to receive a plurality of containers to be carried, said carrier having a convex back, means to fasten said carrier between the two to prevent undue strain in the event of stoppage of the frame Uil. The .frame l 8i! is pivoted to the pasteurizer head 20, and carries a kick-in bar 8| which rolls the ca ns on their-sides oli ,the conveyer 8l, and onto the pasteurlzer conveyer 24. l

'I'he details of the pasteurizer conveyer 24 are test shown m Figs. 4. s and 1o. Referring par ticularly to Figs. 9 and 10, the conveyer 24 comprises a plurality of bucket shaped carriers The troughsare substantially semi-cylindrical and have a slightly larger diameter than the cans which they are intended to carry. The troughs the direction of movement o'f'said carrier and to rotate the links relative to each other to permit a container'to be inserted in or removed from said nrst carrier.

2. In a. conveyer ot the character described. a-

. carrier chain, a nrst substantially semi-cylindrical carrier, means to fasten said carrier tov a link of the carrier chain, with the `carrier xed relative to said link. a second substantially semi-cylindrical carrier, means to fasten said second carrier to a link of the carrier chain ahead of said rst carrier, the convexback of said second carrier serving to retain the container Within the Irst carrier, and a sprocket wheel of predetermined radius to change the direction of movement of said carrier and to rotate the links relative to each other to permit a container to be inserted in or removed from said firstcarrierr 3. In a conveyer of the character described,l a carrier chain, a first carrier adapted to receive a plurality of alined containers lto be carried, said carrier having a convex back, means to fasten said carrier to a link of the carrier chain, a second carrier adapted to receive a plurality of alined containers to be carried, said second carrier having a convex back, means to fasten said second carrier to a link of the carrier chain ahead of said iirst carrier, the convex back of said second carrier serving to retain the container within the first' carrier, and a sprocket wheel of predetermined radius to change the direction of'movement of said carrier and to rotate the links relative to each other to permit a container to be inserted in or removed from said irst carrier.

4. In a conveyer of the character described, a carrier chain, a first substantially semi-cyindrical carrier. means to fasten said carrier to a link of the carrier chain. a second substantially semicylindrical carrier, means to fasten said second carrier to a link of the carrier chain ahead' o! said ilrst carrier, the convex back of said second plurality of alined containers, anda pair of link carrier chains attached to said troughs, the rear side of each of said troughs being convex and adapted to retain containers in the succeeding trough until the links of the carrier chain are rotated through a predetermined angle.

6. In a conveyer of the character described, a pair of parallel carrier chains, a rst bucket shaped carrier adapted to receive a plurality of A containers therein across the width thereof,

means to fasten said carrier between a link ot one o t said chains and the corresponding link of the other chain, a second bucket shaped carrier adapted to receive a plurality of containers therein across the width thereof. means to secure said second carrier between a link of one of said chains ahead of said iirst carrier and the corresponding link of the other chain, the .back of said second carrier serving -to retain the containers within said irst carrier when the links supporting said carriers are alined,V and a sprocket wheel of predetermined radius to change the direction of movement osaid carriers and to rotate theV links relative to each other, to permit containers to be inserted in and removed from said ilrst carrier.

7.l In a conveyer of the character described, a pair of parallel carrier chains, a rst bucket shaped carrier adapted to receive a plurality ofV longitudinally alined containers therein. means to secure said carrier between a link of one of said chains and the corresponding link of the other chain, a second bucket shaped carrier adapted to receive a plurality of longitudinally alined containers therein, means to secure said second carrier between a link of one of said chains ahead o! said iirst carrier and the corresponding link o'f the other chain. the back of said second carrier being so positioned and shaped as to retain the containers within said first carrier when the links supportingthe carriers are substantially alined, and a sprocket wheel of predetermined radius to change the direction of movementof said carriers and to rotate the links and the carriers supported thereby, relative to each other to enable containers to be inserted in and removed from theV rst carrier.

8. In a conveyer oi' the character described, a

pair of parallel carrier chains, each chain comprising links pivotally connected to the next adjacent link, a plurality of bucket shaped carriers, each carrier adapted to receive a plurality of containers axially alined therein. means to tix each carrier to and between a link oi' one chain and a corresponding link of the other chains'each carrier being so shaped and positioned as to re- 

